James Stanley Hardison, of Groesbeck, passed away at his home on Monday, June 12, 2017, at age 68.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, June 14 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with the Reverend Bill Sutton, of the Oletha Baptist Church, officiating and Mary Smith of the First United Methodist Church of Teague giving the eulogy. Angie Hardison Patterson will be the vocalist along with other music and videos. Joyce Arabie will sing at the graveside. Burial will follow in the Lost Prairie Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Timothy Hardison, Jacob Hardison, Kristopher Wright, Sherif Hanna, Earnest Smith, Donald Harvey, Bill Sutton and Virgil Summers. Honorary pallbearers were Joshua Hanna, Luke Hanna, and Ethan Wright.
James was born Nov. 9, 1948 to James Garvis (Cheesie) Hardison and Esta Mae Sims Hardison in Groesbeck. He graduated from Groesbeck High School in the Class of 1967, and then attended Navarro Jr. College and Sam Houston State University.
James married the love of his life, Dani Hardison, on Nov. 23, 1992 in Monte Vista, Colo. They spent fifteen years traveling the United States with their camping buddies, Earnest Smith and his wife. While traveling, he saw many sights and created many wonderful memories. James thoroughly enjoyed spending his spare time with his family and friends, and fishing. He had an avid love of music especially Southern Gospel.
He worked for many years for Limestone County Road and Bridge, then made a career move to Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, where he worked for fourteen years. He then began a career with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, where he worked until 2013, when he retired after 20 years of service. During retirement, he found many things to keep him occupied, even so, until he returned to work for the prison in 2015. In 2017, he retired again with a total of 22 years of service.
James was preceded in death by his parents, James (Cheesie) and Esta Mae Hardison, and his brother-in-law, Kimbell Hughes.
He is survived by his wife, Dani Hardison; daughter and son-in-law, Angela and David Patterson of Groesbeck; daughter and son-in-law, Christine and Sherif Hanna of Justin; son and daughter-in-law, Jack and Tiffany Hardison of Kosse; step-son, Stacy Wright and his wife Mykle Ann of Teague; step-son, Jody Wright and his wife Julie of Corsicana; sister, Brenda Hughes of Groesbeck. He also has fourteen grandchildren: Timothy Hardison, Jacob Hardison, Kaitlyn Hardison, Josh Hanna, Luke Hanna, Jessica Winsor, Madeline Wright, Maggie Wright, Kristopher Wright, Ethan Wright, Keeley Wright, Lacey Geddie, Lexia Geddie, and Ian Wright; and two great grandchildren, Jason Winsor and Elizabeth Winsor.
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